Singapore Airlines takes delivery of Ultra Long-Haul Aircraft - the A345Leadership

Singapore Airlines (SIA) ushered in 2004 with the arrival of its first ultra long-haul aircraft - the SIA A345LeaderShip - at Singapore Changi Airport today.

The SIA A345LeaderShip will offer the longest non-stop commercial service in the world when it commences operations between Singapore and Los Angeles on 3 February 2004.

"Today is a significant moment for SIA and for international aviation. It marks the beginning of a new long-haul travel experience - one that sets new standards for non-stop travel by offering greater convenience, space, comfort and time-savings for the business traveller and strengthens our Changi hub, " said Michael Tan, SIA's Senior Executive Vice-President (Commercial).

The non-stop service to Los Angeles will take 16 hours and the return service from Los Angeles, 18 and a half hours. This is a saving of one and a half to two hours in flying time compared with SIA's current one-stop flights.

With the launch of the A345LeaderShip Singapore-Los Angeles service, SIA will operate a daily non-stop flight between Singapore and Los Angeles. A similar daily service from Singapore to New York will follow in the middle of 2004, which will take 18 hours in each direction, reducing travel time from New York to Singapore by two hours and from Singapore to New York, by six hours.

SIA's A345LeaderShip will feature the world's first long-haul all premium configuration with just 181 seats in a spacious two-class configuration comprising an enhanced Raffles (business) Class and a new Executive Economy Class.

The A345LeaderShip Raffles Class will feature 64 of SIA's latest lie-flat SpaceBed in a 2-2-2 layout, and with a larger seat pitch of 64".

The SpaceBed offers a bed width of 26" and a length of 78", as well as an adjustable headrest, leg-rest and lumbar support. The 10.4" personal video monitor will enable customers to enjoy SIA's comprehensive in-flight entertainment in style. And an AC power supply outlet and DVD port at every seat will expand the customer's in-flight activity options.

The A345Leadership Executive Economy Class, designed in a very spacious 2-3-2 configuration, will offer some of the industry's widest economy class seats at 20". The seats also come with a larger personal monitor at 9", and a laptop power supply.

Designed to keep globetrotters comfortable throughout the unprecedented 16 to 18 and a half-hour flight between Singapore and Los Angeles, the Executive Economy seats feature an expanded seat pitch of 37", a seat-back recline of 8", a leather adjustable headrest, and extended leg and foot rests. AC power supply outlets are also available in the seats, enabling customers to power their laptops throughout the flight.

Both new cabins feature specially designed areas for passengers to socialize and stretch their legs.

The A345LeaderShip is the first new aircraft type to join the SIA fleet since 1997, when the Airline took delivery of its first Boeing 777. SIA placed its order for 10 A340-500s in 1998 with five on firm order and five on option. The order was worth US$2.2 billion, including the cost of spares and spare engines. The A345 will be powered by four Rolls Royce Trent 553 engines.

As at 1 January 2004, SIA's operating fleet consisted of 82 aircraft comprising 30 B747s, 51 B777s and 1 A345.